By Jennifer Rames
Associate Director for Service-Learning, Inclusion and Community Engagement Center

(March 29, 2013) -- The UTSA Inclusion and Community Engagement Center announces the winners of the Wells Fargo Community Leadership Award for spring 2013: Krystal Nicholson, Sabrina Macal-Polasek, and Tanita Wiley and a group from theLeadership Challenge class including Eli Embleton, Tim Johnson, Christina Phamvu, Amanda Haugen and Alyssa Molina.

The winners have demonstrated a commitment to service-learning and are actively giving back to the community. Each individual awardee receives $500, while the group will receive $1,000 provided by Wells Fargo. The award can be used at the discretion of the recipients in support of travel, project supplies and time dedicated to projects.

The Wells Fargo Community Leadership Award was created with the generous support of Wells Fargo Bank to support students completing community service as a part of a UTSA course, degree program or certificate program. Wells Fargo has a corporate goal of social responsibility and community involvement, and a commitment to invest in the future of communities.

The winners of the spring 2013 awards are:

Krystal Nicholson, a senior from the Senior Seminar Multidisciplinary Studies class taught by Gabriel Acevedo, UTSA associate professor of sociology, is completing her project with Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas as a volunteer mentoring young girls. Nicholson aims to use her award to supplement character-building workshops.

Sabrina Macal-Polasek, a senior in the Internship in Nonprofit Management class taught by Patricia Jaramillo, UTSA public administration lecturer, is participating in a 300-hour internship with City Year of San Antonio, a nonprofit organization that provides underserved youth the services they need to succeed through mentorship and community projects.

Tanita Wiley, a senior taking the Internship in Sociology class taught by Todd Garrard, UTSA sociology lecturer, is completing an internship with AmeriCorps Kids College Club/San Antonio Youth Center. Wiley is a tutor, mentor and after-school teacher to inner-city youth in San Antonio.

Eli Embleton, Tim Johnson, Christina Phamvu, Amanda Haugen and Alyssa Molina are enrolled in the Leadership Challenge class taught by Robert Lengel, UTSA associate dean of faculty and associate professor of management in the College of Business. The students also are involved in the For The Kids Dance Marathon at UTSA (FTK). FTK raises awareness of pediatric cancer and provides financial, social and emotional support to families battling childhood cancer at the Children’s Hospital of San Antonio. Through their dance marathon, FTK and the Leadership Challenge class raise funds to donate to the children’s hospital. The $1,000 award will help families facing childhood cancer.

For more information about this and other service-learning and community service efforts, visit the UTSA Inclusion and Community Engagement Center website, go to University Center Suite 2.01.04 on the Main Campus or call 210-458-4770.

Come out and enjoy breakfast and beverages at the Official UTSA Tailgate in Albuquerque as our Roadrunners take on the New Mexico Lobos at the Gildan New Mexico Bowl. The official UTSA tailgate will be located in Fan Fest in the University Stadium Parking Lot, Stadium East.
University Stadium parking lot, Albuquerque, NM

Graduates from the College of Architecture, Construction and Planning, College of Business, College of Education and Human Development and the College of Public Policy will participate in the first commencement ceremony. President Romo will deliver the keynote address.
Alamodome

Graduates from the College of Engineering, College of Liberal and Fine Arts, College of Sciences and University College will participate in the second commencement ceremony. President Romo will deliver the keynote address.
Alamodome

All UTSA students, faculty and staff are invited to march with UTSA in the 30th annual MLK March. There will be a FREE shuttle from the UTSA Main Campus. Pick up in front of the Convocation Center at 8:30 a.m. Depart from UTSA at 9 a.m. Buses return to UTSA at 1 p.m
Convocation Center, Main Campus

UTSA's Department of Music hosts Dr. David Huron from Ohio State University as part of the Donald Hodges lecture series. Huron is a Canadian arts and humanities distinguished professor at Ohio State University.
John Peace Library, UTSA Faculty Center, (JPL 4.04.22), Main Campus

The Student Center for Community Engagement and Inclusion annually hosts a Volunteer Opportunities Fair to allow students, faculty and staff to learn about volunteer and service-learning opportunities in the San Antonio area.
University Center, 1st floor corridor, Main Campus

UTSA's Mission

The University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.

UTSA's Vision

To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.

UTSA's Core Values

We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.